Last Modified: Sunday, December 22, 2013 at 12:24 a.m.

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The parade, which ran from the Bourg Volunteer Fire Station to Montegut, was made up of small skiffs, large houseboats and everything in between. Some boats were decked out in all-white lights, while others featured bright bulbs in every color of the rainbow.

The parade's lead boat was Bourg resident Jerry Gonsoulin's old-fashioned paddleboat, which he captained home from West Virginia earlier this year.

Gonsoulin said he'd been thinking about riding in the parade since he purchased the boat in June. When parade organizers asked him to be the one to ferry Santa Claus down the bayou, it was an opportunity he couldn't resist.

"I thought it would be such a great idea," he said. "It's really just a good family event, and I'm happy to be part of it."

Santa Claus (HTV owner Martin Folse) stood at the front of the 75-foot-long paddleboat decorated with hundreds of icicle lights and waved to people watching from the bayou's banks.

Even as he sat on the boat's deck waiting for the parade to begin, Folse was already in the Santa Claus spirit.

"I've been looking forward to seeing all the kids," he said. "It's always exciting to watch the boats come down the bayou and see everyone together."

Folse said he enjoys seeing the sense of community among residents as they gather to watch the boats pass.

"People over here are really into their heritage," he said. "They just love their area, and they want to be part of something big."

Cindy Boudreaux, of Houma, who rode in the parade for the first time Saturday night, said she was excited to spend the evening with her family.

"It's all about getting into the Christmas spirit," she said. "We're trying to teach the kids that this is really about celebrating Jesus' birthday. This is how we celebrate."

After seeing boats light up the bayou for years, Boudreaux said she was happy to take part in the fun.

"You can see these lights all the way down the bayou," she said. "It's just a big old party."

Kevin Belanger, one of the parade's organizers, said the number of boats in the parade usually depends on the weather. Since the rain held out for this year's festivities, about 15 boats made their way down the bayou.

While the number of participants fluctuates, Belanger said the parade and its crowds have grown larger each year since it started more than 20 years ago.

"I think it's becoming more of a tradition," he said. "It's really going to just get bigger and bigger every year."

Wanda Pitre, of Montegut, said she's watched the parade every year for nearly 20 years.

This year, she was especially excited to see her grandchildren ride down the bayou. As her their boat passed by, Pitre and her group jumped up and down and yelled "Merry Christmas."

The parade, she said, is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.

"It's the people," she said. "Everybody just comes out and gets along."

Pitre said she hopes to ride in the parade next year and be part of the growing tradition.

"It's just so nice and pretty," she said. "I love seeing the boats and the lights on the water. It's beautiful."

<p>Bayou Terrebonne lit up Saturday night as a fleet of decorated boats made its way from Bourg to Montegut for the annual Bayou Terrebonne Christmas Boat Parade.</p><p>The parade, which ran from the Bourg Volunteer Fire Station to Montegut, was made up of small skiffs, large houseboats and everything in between. Some boats were decked out in all-white lights, while others featured bright bulbs in every color of the rainbow.</p><p>The parade's lead boat was Bourg resident Jerry Gonsoulin's old-fashioned paddleboat, which he captained home from West Virginia earlier this year. </p><p>Gonsoulin said he'd been thinking about riding in the parade since he purchased the boat in June. When parade organizers asked him to be the one to ferry Santa Claus down the bayou, it was an opportunity he couldn't resist.</p><p>"I thought it would be such a great idea," he said. "It's really just a good family event, and I'm happy to be part of it."</p><p>Santa Claus (HTV owner Martin Folse) stood at the front of the 75-foot-long paddleboat decorated with hundreds of icicle lights and waved to people watching from the bayou's banks.</p><p>Even as he sat on the boat's deck waiting for the parade to begin, Folse was already in the Santa Claus spirit.</p><p>"I've been looking forward to seeing all the kids," he said. "It's always exciting to watch the boats come down the bayou and see everyone together."</p><p>Folse said he enjoys seeing the sense of community among residents as they gather to watch the boats pass. </p><p>"People over here are really into their heritage," he said. "They just love their area, and they want to be part of something big."</p><p>Cindy Boudreaux, of Houma, who rode in the parade for the first time Saturday night, said she was excited to spend the evening with her family.</p><p>"It's all about getting into the Christmas spirit," she said. "We're trying to teach the kids that this is really about celebrating Jesus' birthday. This is how we celebrate."</p><p>After seeing boats light up the bayou for years, Boudreaux said she was happy to take part in the fun.</p><p>"You can see these lights all the way down the bayou," she said. "It's just a big old party."</p><p>Kevin Belanger, one of the parade's organizers, said the number of boats in the parade usually depends on the weather. Since the rain held out for this year's festivities, about 15 boats made their way down the bayou.</p><p>While the number of participants fluctuates, Belanger said the parade and its crowds have grown larger each year since it started more than 20 years ago. </p><p>"I think it's becoming more of a tradition," he said. "It's really going to just get bigger and bigger every year."</p><p>Wanda Pitre, of Montegut, said she's watched the parade every year for nearly 20 years.</p><p>This year, she was especially excited to see her grandchildren ride down the bayou. As her their boat passed by, Pitre and her group jumped up and down and yelled "Merry Christmas."</p><p>The parade, she said, is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.</p><p>"It's the people," she said. "Everybody just comes out and gets along."</p><p>Pitre said she hopes to ride in the parade next year and be part of the growing tradition.</p><p>"It's just so nice and pretty," she said. "I love seeing the boats and the lights on the water. It's beautiful."</p>